Padlock.



E. B. STONE.

FADLOCK. APPLICATION HLED DEC.27. 1917.

1,271,382. Patented July 2, 1918.

I N VEN TOR.

BY 7 V emf ATTORNEY.

ms mamas PETERS m" PHO7D-L!YNO.. WASHING mu. m c.

srntrnsrnrnnr ELMER B. STONE, or new BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, AssieNoR r0 'rnE AMERICAN HARDWARE CORPORATION, orivnw B ITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or CONNECTICUT;

Application filed December 27, 1917. Serial No. 209,056.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EL ERv B. STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and ImprovedPadlock, of which the following is a specification.

Nly invention relates to the class of devices above named, and an object of my invention,

among others, is to provide a device ofthis class. having means to enable a laterally swingingshackleto be readily engaged withthe keeper opening in the case. 1

One form of lock embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the z-.cco1n )anyingdrawings, in whichj Figure 1 is a vlew 1n side elevation of a padlock embodying my 1nvent1on W113i] parts broken away "to show construction, the shackle l. eing shown in its unlocked posiilOiL' -f K i 2 is a View in cross section through the saine looking from the bottom end and with the shackle swung; to one side.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to 2 but with;

I the shackle in the'same position as shown in ill Fig. 1.-

. Fig. l'is a view showinga little difiierent' embodiment of the invention.

lirthe accompanying drawings the numeral 5 indicates the case of a padlock that may be of anyordinary form and construction and including a key cylinder 6 that r may be operated in the usual manner by means of a key, and that is'provided with a bolt operating prong 7 engaging a shoulder 8 on a locking bolt 9 mounted for sliding ll'lOVQlDGllt in the Case and having a nose 10 to engage a locking notch 11 in the short arm 12 of a shackle. The long arm 13 of the shackle extends into awell 14 in the case in which is also located a spring 15 for forcing the shackle to its outward or open position.

' All of the parts thus far described may be of any ordinary and well known construction.

The shackle is of that type having a lateral swinging movement when it is in its outward position, a pin 16 engaging within 5 an annular groove in the long arm of the shackle to retain it in'the case while permitting such rotary movement. This pin is also located in a recess 17 formed in the "rAnLoCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

P tented July 2, 1191s.

side of the long arm of the shackle and opening into said'groove, therecess permitting longitudinal movement of this arm of the shackle. I r

1 My present invention provides means, for

automatically moving the shackle to a position so that the short arm -12 will be opposite the keeper opening 18 in the case, and in.

the form of device herein shown for effect ing this [purpose I provide a positioning plunger 19 havingits end squared to en'- gage a flatsurface onthe shackle, said flat,

ture. herein shown, this springmay, if de:

sired, servethe doublepurpose of a bolt ace tuating spring as well as a plunger actuating spring. In order to facilitate the closing movement of the shackle otheouter edge of the plunger may be beveled, if desired, to cooperate with" the beveled surfaceatthe'end of the recess 17.

In the form ofthe device as shown in Fig. 5 the plunger alsogserves a function as an auxiliary lock bolt, it being provided with a. nose 22 to; engage a notch'23 in the long'arm of the" shackle and thusaidinlocking the shackle in its closed position. The end of this nose 22 is squared to engage the po sitioning surface 20 asin the structure here-- inbefore described and operating in the same manner to position the short arm of the shackle.

In the operation of the lock the shackle plunger 19 encountersthe round surface of the long arm 13 of the shackle. When thus in contact with said round surface the latter will remain in any position in which it may be placed. When, however, the end of the plunger encounters the corner at either edge of the flat surface 20 on the shackle then the latter will be forced to its central position (see Fig. 1) with its end opposite the keeper opening 18. It will thus be seen.

that under certain conditions the shackle is self-centering and that the short arm 12 of the shackle may be moved to a considerable extent in either direction from its central position while these conditions exist and that, therefore, little care will berequired to place the short arm of the shackle in position to cause the plunger to center said short arm. I

Diflerent arrangements of mechanism for automatically positioning the short arm of the shackle opposite the keeper opening 18 may be employed, and I do not, therefore, desire to confine my invention to the arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and in accordance with the provisions of the patentstatutes I have de scribed the principles of operation of my invention, together with the lock which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the lock shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

I claim-- v 1. A padlock including a case, a shackle movable longitudinally in the case and having a lateral swinging movement therein, and means to return the shackle to its normal positlon w1th thev short arm thereof opposite a keeper opening in the case and after it has been swung to one side.

2. A padlock including a case, a shackle movable longitudinally therein and having a lateral swinging movement, andmeans cooperating with the long arm of the shackle to return said shackle to its normal position with the short arm of'the shackle opposite a keeper opening in the case after the shackle hasbeen moved to one side.

3. A padlock including a case,a shackle ing a lateral swinging movement therein, and means including a positioning plunger cooperating with the long arm of the shackle and engaging a flat positioning surface to move the shackle to its normal position.

4. A padlock including a case, a shackle movable longitudinally in the case and having a lateral swinging movement therein, said shackle also having a fiat positioning surface, and a positioning plunger mounted in the case and having a squared end to engage said flat positioning surface on the shackle to return it to its normal position.

5. A padlock including a case, a shackle movable longitudinally in the case and hav ing a lateral swinging movement therein, the long arm of the shackle having a recess to receive a retaining pin, the bottom of said recess being provided with a flat positioning surface, a positioning plunger mounted in the case and having a squared end, and means for forcing the plunger against said positioning surface to return the shackle to its normal position.

6. A padlockin'cluding a case, a shackle movable longitudinally in the case and hav ing alateral swinging movement therein, a locking bolt to engage said shackle, a po sitioning plunger mounted in the case, a spring located between the plunger and bolt and exerting force on both, the longarm of said shackle having a flat positioning sur face to be acted upon by said positioning plunger.

7. A padlock including a case, a shackle movable longitudinally in the case and having a laterally swinging movement therein, and means to eifect swinging movement of the shackle to place it in a predetermined position and to resist movement in different directions from said position.

ELMER B. STONE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington', D; 0. 

